Dough dividing machine

ABSTRACT

A dough divider comprises a machine housing ( 3 ); a dough collecting container ( 4 ) which is mounted on the machine housing ( 3 ), receiving dough that is to be metered; a dough delivery arrangement which is connected to the dough collecting container ( 4 ), comprising a driven dough delivery piston ( 15 ) for the delivery of dough from the dough collecting container ( 4 ); and a dough metering arrangement, which comprises a first row of first measuring pistons ( 40 ), which are driven for displacement in first piston casings ( 42 ), taking dough from the dough delivery arrangement, and at least a second row of second measuring pistons ( 41 ), which are driven for displacement in second piston casings ( 43 ), taking dough from the dough delivery arrangement, with the first piston casings ( 42 ) having a cross-sectional area A 1  and the second piston casings ( 43 ) having a cross-sectional area A 2  so that A 1  differs from A 2 , the dough metering arrangement being displaceable such that dough from the at least one delivery piston ( 15 ) is deliverable alternatively to the first piston casings ( 42 ) or the at least second piston casings ( 43 ); and a dough discharge arrangement for receiving and discharging metered dough from the dough metering arrangement.

[0001] The invention relates to a dough divider.

[0002] Dough dividers for bakery dough portioning have been known forquite a while. Special difficulties occur whenever a dough divider isused for metering dough pieces of varying size.

[0003] It is an object of the invention to embody a dough divider bywhich easily to meter dough portions of varying size.

[0004] This object is attained by the features of claim 1. The gist ofthe invention resides in that several, in particular two, rows of pistoncasings are provided one on top of the other, which are selectivelyfilled with dough. In this way, smaller or bigger dough pieces can beproduced on the same machine. Fine dosing of dough takes place bymodification of the depth of insertion of the respective measuringpiston into the associated piston casing.

[0005] Further embodiments of the invention will become apparent fromthe sub-claims.

[0006] Additional features and details of the invention will becomeapparent from the ensuing description of an exemplary embodiment, takenin conjunction with the drawing, in which

[0007]FIG. 1 is a vertical sectional view of a dough divider accordingto the invention with a dough metering arrangement;

[0008]FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the dough meteringarrangement according to claim 1;

[0009]FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional view of the dough meteringarrangement according to FIG. 1;

[0010]FIG. 4 is a displaced horizontal sectional view of the doughmetering arrangement according to FIG. 1;

[0011]FIG. 5 is a sectional view on the line V-V of FIG. 2; and

[0012]FIG. 6 is a plan view in accordance with the arrow VI of FIG. 1.

[0013] A dough divider 1 comprises a machine housing 3 which supportsitself on legs 2. In the upper area of the housing 3, provision is madefor an externally open hopper 4 with a bottom 5. In vicinity to thehopper 4, a dough delivery arrangement 6 is disposed on one side. On theopposite side of the hopper 4, provision is made for a dough meteringarrangement 7 which is vertically displaceable. A conveyor belt 8 isdisposed underneath the hopper bottom 5, connecting the dough meteringarrangement 7 with a kneader in a manner known per se. A discharge belt10 is arranged at the bottom end of the kneader 9, mouthing into alateral opening 11 of the housing 3.

[0014] The hopper 4 has an externally open charging hole 12. It iscomprised of a top hopper section 13 and a bottom hopper section 14 inthe form of a cast part,. both of which taper downwards conically. Thehopper 4 is completed downwards by the bottom 5. The dough deliveryarrangement 6 comprises two cuboid pistons 15 which are insertable,through an opening 16 on the left of the hopper bottom 5 in FIG. 1, froman external position A seen in FIG. 1 into the bottom space 17. Thepistons 15 are made of plastic material. The pistons 15 are separatedfrom each other by a dividing wall 18 which is joined to the hopperbottom 5, having approximately the height of the piston 15 andsimultaneously serving as a guide. The dividing wall 18 ends short ofthe right end of the channels 28 in FIG. 1, in particular 5 mm short ofit. By their extreme ends—on the left in FIG. 1—the pistons 15 arearticulated to a lever 19 which is mounted for pivoting about a pivotaxis 20. The lever 19 is connected to a second lever arm 21 which isdisplaced by approximately 90°, the free end thereof being articulatedto a driving rod 22. The opposite end 23 of the driving rod 22 isarticulated to a cam disk 24 which is drivable by a motor 26 via a beltdrive 25.

[0015] At the right end in FIG. 1, of the bottom space 17, provision ismade for an opening 27, the contour of which corresponds to the piston15; the opening 27 is adjoined by a horizontal dough channel 28. Thechannel 28 is defined downwards by the bottom plate 29 of the hopperbottom 5. The channel is defined upwards by a ceiling 30, the bottomhopper section 14 and the ceiling 30 forming a single piece. A verticalsealing plate 31 of plastic material is mounted on the—in FIG. 1—rightend of the dough channel 28; it is tightly joined to the bottom plate 29and the bottom hopper section 14. The sealing plate 31 comprises anopening 32 which is in alignment with the dough channel 28.

[0016] The dough metering arrangement 7 is disposed before the sealingplate 31. It comprises a casing 33 which is guided for verticaldisplacement by way of two vertical guide rods 34 that are connected tothe machine housing 3. The casing 33 is comprised of opposite side walls35 which are joined to each other via a top longitudinal wall 36, abottom longitudinal wall 37 and a right longitudinal wall 38. On theoutside of the side walls 35, a bearing 39 is mounted, in which isguided a respective guide rod 34. A top row of horizontal measuringpistons 40 and a row, disposed underneath, of equally horizontalmeasuring pistons 41 are disposed in the casing 33. Several measuringpistons 40 and 41 of the same type are disposed side by side in a row.In the present case, eight measuring pistons 40 are disposed in a rowand another eight measuring pistons 41 are disposed underneath. Themeasuring pistons 40 and 41 are displaceably guided in correspondingannular cylindrical piston casings 42 and 43. The diameter of the pistoncasing 42 amounts to D₁. The diameter of the piston casing 43 is D₂,with D₁<D₂, in particular D₂/D₁≈1.5 applying. Consequently, thecross-sectional areas A₁ and A₂ of the piston casings 42 and 43 differ.A connecting rod 44 is articulated to the rear end of each piston 40 and41, the other end of the connecting rod 44 being connected, via anentrainer 45, to a drive shaft 46 and 47. The lengthwise ends of theshafts 46 and 47 are run on bearings 48. Each entrainer 45 is rotatablymounted on the shaft 46 and 47, having an arresting pin 49 which isdisplaceably guided and, by means of a pneumatic locking unit 50,engageable with a longitudinal groove 51 of the shaft 46 and 47. If thearresting pin 49 is in engagement with the longitudinal groove 51, theentrainer 45 is connected to the shaft 46 and 47 for torquetransmission. A servomotor 52 is fixed to the longitudinal wall 36, theshaft 53 of which is connected to a pinion 54. At their left end in FIG.2, the shafts 46 and 47 have gearwheels 55 and 56, the gearwheel 55being in engagement with the pinion 54 and the gearwheel 55 being inengagement with the gearwheel 56 so that the motor 52 drives both shaftssimultaneously and in an opposite direction. The measuring pistons 40and 41 are lockable in the casings 42 and 43 by means of arresting pins57 that are pneumatically insertable into the interior of the casings.Above the top row of measuring pistons 40, a vertical, stainless steelcutter plate 58 is connected to the casing 33, extending over the fullwidth of the arrangement 7. The cutter plate 58 is screwed to a bearingplate 59 that is connected with the casing 33; it is in alignment withthe outer ends of the piston casings 42 and 43.

[0017] The casing 33 is articulated by the bottom side to a telescopicrod 60. The opposite bottom end of the telescopic rod 60 is articulatedto a cam disk 61 which is joined, via a belt drive 62, to a motor 63.The telescopic rod 60 comprises a piston-cylinder unit 64 by which tomodify the length of the telescopic rod 60. At the bottom end of thecasing 33, provision is made for a connecting sleeve 66 which isconnected to the internal space 65 of the casing and to a suctionarrangement, whereby partial vacuum can be produced in the sealing areaD. The motors 26, 52 and 63 are connected to a joint control system 67.

[0018] The mode of operation of the dough divider will be describedbelow. Dough is fed from above through the charging hole 12 into thehopper 4. The pistons 15 move in a direction of insertion 68, driven bythe motor 26, the belt drive 25, via the cam disk 24, the driving rod22, the lever arm 21 and the lever 29. FIG. 1 illustrates the pistons 15in a position A of maximal extension of the front end of the piston 15.Subsequently, the piston 15 moves through the dough on the hopper bottom5 towards the position B directly at the beginning of the dough channel28. Part of the dough can escape upwards. Then the piston 15 is insertedinto the respective channel 28 as far as to a position C, with a certainmetered quantity of dough being in front of the front end 69 of thepiston 15. The dividing wall 18, which terminates upstream of the end ofthe channel 28, provides for pressure compensation of the insertedquantity of dough over the full width of the dough channel 28. Uponinsertion of the pistons 15 from the position B to position C, themeasuring pistons 41 are simultaneously retracted, whereby the dough ispushed and sucked into the side by side piston casings 43. A decision onwhether insertion or suction will predominate takes place in dependenceon the kind of dough. Pure insertion may take place as well assubstantially pure suction. For retraction of the measuring pistons 41,the motor 52 pivots the pinion 54 and thus the gearwheels 55 and 56,whereby the drive shaft 47 is pivoted. The locking pins 49 of theentrainer 45, which connected to the measuring piston 41, are inengagement with the groove 51 so that pivoting the shaft 47 will lead tothe measuring piston 41 being displaced linearly. By means of theindividually triggered locking units 50, individual measuring pistons 41can be coupled to the shaft 47 if not all the measuring pistons 41 areneeded. So as to make sure that the measuring pistons 41 are notactuated by the friction between the shaft 47 and entrainer 45, themeasuring pistons 41 that are not needed are arrested by an arrestingpin 57. The quantity of dough pushed into the piston casing 43 can beregulated by the pivoting angle of the shaft 47 and the depth, linkedthereto, of insertion of the measuring piston 41. This is attained bythe servomotor 51 in accordance with instructions by the control unit67. Owing to the partial vacuum, delivered by the connecting sleeve 66,in the sealing area D between the sealing plate 31 and the outer end ofthe piston casings 42 and 43, the air is sucked off that is includedupon metering.

[0019] After the piston casings 43 have been filled with the desiredquantity of dough, the casing 33 is displaced downwards, guided by theguide rods 34, and driven by the motor 63, the belt drive 62, via thecam disk 61 and the telescopic rod 60, until the outer end of the pistoncasings 43 reaches the right end 70 of the conveyor belt 8. Then themotor 52 is set rotating in an opposite direction, whereby the measuringpistons 41 push the individual dough pieces on the conveyor belt 8. Theconveyor belt 8 feeds the dough pieces to the kneader 9 where they arekneaded. Afterwards the dough pieces are put on the discharge belt 10and discharged outwards. After the piston casings 43 have been emptied,the casing 33 is again moved into the position seen in FIG. 1 and are-filling job starts.

[0020] If dough portions of smaller size are to be metered, thepiston-cylinder unit 64 is triggered by the control system 67 and thelength of the telescopic rod 60 is reduced until the piston casings 42find themselves before the orifice of the dough channel 28. Filling thecasings 42 takes place in the same way as filling the piston casings 43.The measuring pistons 40 too offer the possibility of being selectivelycoupled to the drive shaft 46, there being no forcible displacement ofall the measuring pistons 40 upon operation. The option of whether tofill the row of measuring pistons 40 or of measuring pistons 41 can bepre-selected by an operator by way of the control system 67. Furtherrows of measuring pistons may be provided, for instance three rows ofmeasuring pistons one on top of the other, if an even greater range ofdough-piece weight is to be covered. The varying diameters of the pistoncasings 42 and 43 and the varying depth of insertion therein of themeasuring pistons 40 and 41 enable a range of weight per dough piece tobe covered that ranges from 30 g to 350 . This interval can still bewidened. It is further possible to provided more than eight measuringpistons, for example 12 measuring pistons, side by side. Eight measuringpistons per row and a frequency of 3000 strokes per hour will give aproduction of 24,000 pieces per hour. Twelve measuring pistons per rowwill even give a production of 36,000 pieces per hour. The throughputcan be reduced at will by the possibility of selectively inactivatingindividual measuring pistons 40 and 41 in accordance with an operator'sinstructions. The design of the dividing arrangement is of specialimportance, the divider being formed by cooperation of the cutter plate58 and the sealing plate 31. The ground stainless steel cutter plate 58runs without play in direct contact with the sealing plate 31 of plasticmaterial which is replaceable and thus easy to renew. Unlike a metalsealing plate, no play is needed so that a much better sealing effect isattained, minimizing the dough that might escape within the sealingsection D.

1. A dough divider, comprising a. a machine housing (3); b. a doughcollecting container (4) which is mounted on the machine housing (3),receiving dough that is to be metered; c. a dough delivery arrangement(6) which is connected to the dough collecting container (4), having atleast one driven delivery piston (15) for delivering of dough from thedough collecting container (4); and d. a dough metering arrangement (7),i. which comprises a first row of first measuring pistons (40), whichare displaceably driven in first piston casings (42), taking dough fromthe dough delivery arrangement (6), and ii. at least a second row ofsecond measuring pistons (41), which are displaceably driven in secondpiston casings (43), taking dough from the dough delivery arrangement(6), iii. the first piston casings (42) having a cross-sectional area A₁and the second piston casings (43) having a cross-sectional area A₂ sothat A₁ differs from A₂; e. the dough metering arrangement (7) beingdisplaceable such that dough is deliverable by the at least one deliverypiston (15) alternatively to the first piston casings (42) or to the atleast second piston casings (43); and f. a dough discharge arrangementfor receiving and discharging metered dough from the dough meteringarrangement (7).
 2. A dough divider according to claim 1, characterizedin that the first piston casings (42) and the second piston casings (43)have a circular cross-section of a first diameter D₁ and a seconddiameter D₂, respectively.
 3. A dough divider according to claim 2,characterized in that D₁<D₂ applies to the diameters.
 4. A dough divideraccording to claim 1, characterized in that several piston casings aredisposed in the first row and/or in the second row.
 5. A dough dividerclaim 1, characterized in that the dough metering arrangement (7)comprises a casing (33) that is guided for vertical displacement.
 6. Adough divider according to claim 5, characterized in that the casing(33) is displaceable vertically up and down by a cam drive.
 7. A doughdivider according to claim 6, characterized in that the casing (33) isconnected to the cam drive via an adjustable-length telescopic rod (60).8. A dough divider according to claim 1, characterized in that the doughmetering arrangement (7) comprises a drive with associated drive shafts(46, 47).
 9. A dough divider according to claim 8, characterized in thatthe first measuring pistons (40) and the second measuring pistons (41)are selectively engageable with one of the drive shafts for torquetransmission.
 10. A dough divider according to claim 1, characterized inthat the dough metering arrangement (7) comprises a cutter plate (58),which is connected thereto, cooperating with a sealing plate (31), whichis connected to the dough collecting container (4).